Photo Series Asks If Symmetrical Faces Really Are More Attractive

Psychological research has revealed that people are more attracted to those who have more symmetrical facial features, excluding some aspects like freckles and moles. New York-based photographer Alex John Beckhas recently been testing this theory with his series of side by side portraits, and so has amateur artist/Redditor SaritaOsita23. In a recent online query, this curious Reddit user digitally manipulated close-up shots of celebrities to make their faces more symmetrical, asking the Internet: Are people better looking when their faces are more symmetrical?

However, some wonder whether the methods employed by SaritaOsita23 really create a more symmetrical visage. It looks like he’s just mirroring the image down some center line, and what is made more symmetrical is the lighting and shadowing caught in the photograph. So judge with a cautious eye.